Digest

August 29, 2009|STAFF REPORTS and - The Palm Beach Post

Palm Beach County

Prolific burglar faces possible life sentence

A Fort Lauderdale man who authorities said was a prolific burglar responsible for at least $25 million worth of stolen jewelry and hundreds of burglaries in South Florida was convicted this week in yet another case.

Alvara Valdez, 55, now faces a possible life sentence in prison because of his criminal record, which includes convictions on dozens of burglary and theft charges.

Some stemmed from a case that authorities said was one of the largest residential burglaries in U.S. history: a break-in at the Palm Beach home of Ford Motor Co. heiress Kathleen Ford in 1997.

Valdez was sentenced to 10 years in prison but put on supervised release in March 2007, state records show.

His latest conviction, by a Palm Beach County jury Thursday, stems from a burglary in November 2007, when he broke into a West Palm Beach home, authorities said. The police officer who caught him said Valdez swung a screwdriver at him.

Valdez's sentencing date was not available.

Greenacres

Two men accused of raping girl, 14

Two Greenacres men gave liquor to a girl who turned 14 this month, then raped her after she passed out, police said.

Lorvens Pierre Louis, who turned 18 on Friday, and Jimmy Pierre, 19, were booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on Friday. Each is expected have a bail hearing today.

Both were charged with sexual battery on a victim older than 12 and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The attack occurred late Thursday at Pierre's home, the Greenacres Public Safety Department stated in a news release.

The two men gave the girl, who knew them, an unknown amount of alcohol, the release stated.

When the girl came to, she contacted a relative, who called authorities, said Greenacres Capt. Michael Porath.

- The Palm Beach Post

West Palm Beach

Police say man beat and raped girlfriend

A 31-year-old woman was beaten, choked until she was unconscious and raped by her boyfriend last week while her daughter was in another room, police said.

Anthony Harrison, 46, dragged the woman into her bedroom, smacked her on the face and held her down on a bed before choking her until she was unconscious, police said. Harrison then raped her for almost an hour, police said.

After the Aug. 19 rape, Harrison refused to let the woman leave the room, police said, but she persuaded him to let her use the bathroom, giving her a chance to tell her daughter to call 911.

Police reported they found the woman in the home, her face bloodied and sections of her hair pulled out. Harrison was asleep in the bedroom, police said.

Harrison said the woman had accused him of cheating on her, police said.

He admitted he pulled her hair and grabbed her by the face and neck but denied hitting or choking her and said the sex was consensual, police said.

A judge set his bail at $55,000. He remained in the Palm Beach County Jail on Friday.

South Florida

Hastings to join health care debate

U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, has agreed to share a stage and discuss health care reform with the Republican candidates challenging two of his Broward Democratic colleagues.

Besides Hastings, the forum will feature Ed Lynch, challenger to U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, and Allen West, challenger to U.S. Rep. Ron Klein.

"This is vintage Alcee," said Broward Democratic Chairman Mitch Ceasar. "He loves the dialogue. He loves the engagement. He loves the opportunity to explain his philosophy."

The event is scheduled for Sept. 3 at the Palm Beach County Governmental Center, Lynch's campaign said.

Tickets will be required, Lynch's campaign said. Anyone interested in attending can call the Palm Beach County Republican Party headquarters at 561-686-1616.

West Palm Beach

Man had child porn on laptop, police say

A 57-year-old West Palm Beach man charged with six counts of possession of material depicting sexual performance of a child surrendered to police, according to the State Attorney's Office on Friday.

Police found a laptop with the material at the home of John Nunes, of the 100 block of Lake Barbara Drive.

Nunes told police he downloaded music and movies onto his laptop computer and that approximately 10 percent of those files were child pornography. Nunes said that on average the victims featured on those videos were 11 and were shown having sex with adults, according to a police affidavit.

The crimes are all third-degree felonies with a maximum of five years imprisonment per count.